PPEC is proud of the Canadian paper packaging industry’s circular economy approach to managing paper packaging products, which are continually collected and recycled through residential and business recycling programs across Canada, allowing them to be remade into new paper packaging products, again and again, through the important act of recycling.
This circular economy approach promoting the use of recycled content and minimizing waste has been an inherent part of our industry’s business models for decades.
While most paper packaging made in Canada is made with recycled content, the paper fibres it was originally made from came from a tree. However, less than half of one per cent of Canadian commercial forests are harvested for paper packaging, and every hectare that is harvested must be successfully regenerated, with more than 1,000 seedlings planted in Canada every minute. Sustainable forest management is critical to the circular economy of Canada’s paper packaging industry.
A mill produces the raw material used to make packaging, using mostly recycled content, and responsibly sourced wood chips and sawmill residues. It is then formed into big rolls of paper and sent to a converter, where it is made into packaging products.
Once used by the customer, it is recycled, making its way back to the mill to start the process over again, as it is remade into new paper packaging products.
Research shows that paper can be recycled up to seven times, and corrugated box fibres up to ten times.
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